Justice Under Siege: How KDI’s Voice Fuels Impunity

A KDI official undermines justice by spreading unverified claims, shielding alleged war criminals, and attacking journalists, raising grave concerns about civil society's role in Kosovo.

In an era where fragile democracies must uphold the rule of law to escape the shadows of violent pasts, the role of civil society is paramount. Nowhere is this more true than in Kosovo, a country still grappling with the consequences of war, trauma, and delayed justice. Yet, what happens when individuals within civil society, especially those entrusted with EU, US, UK, Swiss and German taxpayer funds use their platforms not to bolster the course of justice but to malign it?

This is the stark and deeply disturbing case of Eugen Cakolli, Programme Manager at the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), a flagship NGO often presented as a beacon of civic responsibility and democratic values. Funded generously by the European Union, the German Cooperation, USAID, the Swiss Government, and British Foreign Aid, KDI positions itself as a promoter of transparency and institutional accountability.

But when one of its senior representatives embarks on a public crusade to delegitimise the very justice m…